Beijing: As anticipation builds around the high-stakes summit between Chinese President Xi Jinping and US President Donald Trump in Beijing, experts are forecasting the potential for significant agreements between the two leading global economies.
According to Anadolu Agency, Sourabh Gupta from the Institute for China-America Studies expressed confidence that deals will emerge following the discussions between Xi and Trump. Gupta highlighted pre-planned agreements, including a large airplane order for Boeing and significant commitments to purchase American agricultural products. However, he noted that it remains to be seen what reciprocal commitments the US will make.
The summit, which commenced with Trump's arrival in Beijing, includes a bilateral summit on Thursday, followed by additional meetings through Friday, when Trump is scheduled to depart. Key topics on the agenda include the Iran war, Taiwan, trade, tariffs, and high-tech sectors, with the US seeking to address the $414.7 billion bilateral trade imbalance recorded last year.
Trump's visit is marked by the presence of top US business leaders, including Nvidia's Jensen Huang, Tesla's Elon Musk, and Apple's Tim Cook, among others. Political economist Jostein Hauge noted on US social media company X that the gathering of prominent Fortune 500 CEOs could lead to significant trade deals.
In preparation for the summit, senior Chinese and US trade negotiators convened in South Korea on Wednesday. The meeting, led by US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent and Chinese Vice Premier He Lifeng, involved candid and constructive exchanges on economic and trade issues, as well as discussions on expanding practical cooperation.
Mushahid Hussain, a diplomat and China analyst, described Trump's visit as the most substantial by a US President to Beijing since Nixon's historic 1972 visit. The leaders' discussions are expected to cover a broad spectrum of issues, aiming to establish new "rules of the game" in their bilateral relationship amid a rapidly changing global landscape.
Einar Tangen, a China analyst, emphasized the economic focus of the talks, indicating Beijing's desire for stable economic conditions while undergoing domestic adjustments. Both leaders aim to avoid an escalation in the Middle East conflict that could trigger energy price hikes, as neither country benefits from oil shocks or disruptions in Gulf shipping lanes. Tangen suggested that the likely outcome of the summit would be a managed coexistence, balancing Trump's need for political victories with China's strategic interests.